The present invention relates generally to dispensing containers and, more specifically, to dispensing cap constructions enabling accurately measured amounts of the container contents (in granular, particulate or powdered form) to be dispensed from the cap.
Dispensing containers are, of course, well known and are used in many different industries for many different purposes. One such use is in the food industry, and a specific example includes jars and other similar containers which contain solid foods (such as spices) in particulate, granular or powder-like form. Typically, a measuring spoon or separate measuring cup is utilized in conjunction with the jar or container when accurate amounts are to be obtained.
The present invention eliminates the need for measuring spoons or cups by providing a hollow cap, which serves as its own measuring device, for use with an otherwise conventional container. While the incorporation of a measuring function into a container/cap construction for the discharge of desired amounts of the container contents is not new (see for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,802,284; 2,804,103; 3,860,111; 4,613,057 and 4,635,828), the present invention provides improved and simplified structures for accomplishing this result, while generally retaining the desirable option of substantially unrestricted pouring and/or shaking of the container contents from the dispensing cap.
In addition, the present invention provides a selectively useable sifter within the measuring cap construction. In this continuation-in-part application, the sifter is incorporated as an integral and stationary part of the cap construction. More specifically, a plastic cap is provided which includes a top and a depending skirt. The skirt incorporates an inverted, partial dome-like (or partial upright bowl-shaped) sifter panel which is provided with a plurality of sifter apertures but which is also formed to create a flow opening lying on one side of a horizontal center line extending through the cap. This flow opening is defined by a straight edge or chord on the sifter panel extending between two parts of the annular periphery of the skirt, and is referred to herein sometimes as a chord-shaped opening. The sifter panel, in combination with the skirt wall and the cap top wall, form a measuring chamber into which a desired amount of container contents may be transferred as described further herein. In this exemplary embodiment, the cap top wall forms a fully openable cap lid hinged to the cap skirt. The free edge of the cap, which is diametrically opposed to the integral hinge, lies on the opposite side of the horizontal cap center line from the flow opening.
The cap lid (and optionally a portion of the depending skirt) is provided with volume gradations in the form of level lines and suitable alpha and/or numeric characters, enabling the user to precisely transfer measured amounts of contents from the container into the cap measuring chamber.
A weir dam panel, having a curvature complementary to that of the sifter panel, is snap-fit onto the stationary sifter panel at a location coincident with a vertical center axis of the cap, such that the weir dam panel is rotatable about the vertical center axis, relative to the stationary sifter panel. This weir dam panel is provided with a shape similar to the sifter panel in plan so that a chord-shaped flow opening established by a straight edge or chord of the weir dam panel may be aligned vertically with the similarly shaped flow opening in the sifter panel. In addition, a vertical tab is provided on the weir dam panel which extends upwardly to permit the user to rotate the weir dam panel to either of two operative positions.
The cap as described herein can be used to dispense container contents in any of three dispensing modes. In a first mode, the user rotates the weir dam panel until the weir dam panel flow opening overlies the sitter panel flow opening so that, with the cap lid closed, the user can freely transfer measured amounts of container contents into the measuring chamber. Once a measured amount is transferred to the measuring chamber, the measured amount can be discharged simply by opening the cap lid. Alternatively, in a second mode, the cap lid may remain open so that the user can simply free flow unrestricted amounts of container contents through the cap. In this first weir dam panel position, the sifting apertures of the sifter panel are closed by the solid weir dam panel. In a third mode, the sifter apertures are opened by rotating the weir dam panel 180.degree. to a second operative position, enabling the user to dispense container contents through the sifter apertures and through the open lid, using a typical back and forth shaking motion. In this second operative position of the weir dam panel, the relatively large flow opening in the sifter panel is closed by the solid portion of the weir dam panel.
In the preferred arrangement, the dispensing cap is formed as a three-piece construction, i.e., (1) the depending skirt and the sifter panel are formed as a unit; (2) the weir dam panel; and (3) the cap lid. In an alternative arrangement, the cap lid may be formed integrally with the skirt and hinged by a thinned region (or "living hinge").
All three of the components in accordance with the invention may be made of transparent plastic material to facilitate accurate transfer measured amounts of container contents from the container into the measuring chamber in the cap. On the other hand, the weir dam panel, sifter panel and skirt may be constructed of an opaque plastic material while the lid remains transparent to create an aesthetically pleasing contrast. As already mentioned, volumetric indicators will be provided at least on the lid (and if desired on the cap skirt in the event the latter is made of transparent plastic) to enable the user to more accurately transfer measured amounts to the cap measuring chamber.
Thus, in its broader aspects, the present invention relates to a measuring/dispensing cap adapted for attachment to an open upper end of a container, the cap comprising a lid and a peripheral skirt extending downwardly from the lid, the lid pivotally secured to the skirt; a sifter panel integral with said skirt and separating the skirt into upper and lower sections, the upper section including a measuring chamber and the lower section including means for attaching the cap to the open upper end of the container; and wherein at least the lid is provided with volume indicators; the sifter panel formed to provide a flow opening on one side of a horizontal centerline extending across the cap, the flow opening defined in part by a first edge extending parallel to and spaced from the horizontal centerline; and a rotatable weir dam panel overlying the sifter panel, the weir dam panel having a second edge which may be aligned with the first edge to enable substantially free flow of container contents through the flow opening.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.